Author's Note:

Heya! Hi! Hello! And welcome back to another installment of MC:OM! But before we get into this, I'd like to respond to a few reviews from the brave commentators and readers!

Blah blah blah: Thanks! I'm glad you're liking it so far!

NoItsBecky: Thanks! Yeah, I was starting to think the same thing too. 17 out of 20 of my stories are crack, and 1 of the 3 that isn't is discontinued, so that's 17 to 2. Really bad numbers. I'm gonna be writing more serious/non-insane stuff in the near future, so don't worry! :D

StrawHatter920: Hmm… I'm not so sure, but I'll definitely consider that. Aiden doesn't have a crush on Maya in this story, though, so it might not work out. And to your review on "A Name for Ourselves", I will be doing a story based on that. It'll be the sequel of this story you're reading now. I just thought I'd answer that review now because ANfO's next update isn't going to be very soon.

Thanks for the reviews, guys! Your words mean a lot to me! And, let's hit it, Crisper!

Crisper: Okay! (we hit it together)


"Come on! Let's get out of here!" Those were the last words Maya heard from Aiden before she felt her arm almost popping clean off! She quickly moved her wobbly legs to darting when Aiden jerked and dragged her into a run.

Screams that were just so happy and positive a few minutes ago were now turned horrified and chaotic, echoing around her with explosions that went off as Wither-skulls hit the ground behind her, causing a wildfire to start.

She saw the fire's red shades spreading their deadly hand over buildings, grass and trees, but she wasn't sure if she was sweating because of that or the burning fear in her own heart. She tried to hold onto Aiden's hand, but her own hand was starting to slip from his as his speed increased.

"Aiden! Slow down!" She screamed at him, praying that he could hear her over the chaos.

"No, Maya! You have to go faster!" He yelled back, keeping his grueling, high speed steady.

"Aiden, I-" She screamed in fear when her hand slipped from his. She barely heard both Aiden and Gill screaming her name before her leg twisted and the momentum sent her faceplanting into the ground. Short puffs of wind ruffled her hair and jacket as people flew past her. She screamed when she felt her hand getting crushed. She curled into a ball, though she felt her feet getting crushed by feet that sometimes slammed into her face.

"Maya!" Gill screamed as he and Aiden worked hard to move against the brutally fearsome crowd. Each body that collided into Gill's or Aiden's own made them dogged, frustration and pain urging them on.

Between scurrying jeans and floor-scuffing tennis-shoes, Aiden saw Maya curled up on the floor, barely able to shield her face from the stampeding flock. Before he could say anything, someone's large body rammed into him at top speed. Aiden yelped as he felt himself fly backwards. Two hands caught him by the arms before he could hit the ground. He opened his eyes as Gill jerked him upright, the stronger male somehow standing against the waves of people as they beat against them.

"You okay?" Gill asked quickly.

"I saw Maya! She's over there!" Aiden said, pointing in her direction before rushing to her with Gill close behind. When they made it to her, Gill quickly pulled her to her feet, but she yelped in pain, making both of them flinch as she brought a hand to her thigh.

"My leg's-" Before she could finish her explanation, Gill suddenly scooped her off of feet, catching her and Aiden by surprise. He nodded once at Aiden, signaling him to stay close, and ran off. Aiden followed, thankful to be running with the current and not against it.

'How is he doing that?' Aiden thought as he panted and watched Gill effortlessly soar across the area, even with Maya in his arms. His own sore feet and tired legs were starting to wear out. The smokey, ashy air made his lungs burn, and he was running out of breath and energy because of it. The huge fire's blinding heat only made him feel worse. He coughed loudly as he fought for air and to keep up with everyone.

Behind him, he heard a dragon-like, heart-stopping, near demonic roar. He jarred his fingers into his ringing ears, stumbling as the ground shook. Not daring to stop running, he turned his head and screamed in terror at what he saw.

It was hard to believe that the black and purple monstrosity before him used to be a miniscule, familiar Wither-boss with an odd block in its ribs. But now it was barely recognisable except for its three-headed figure. Large, mighty tentacles had grown out of its sides. Each of three heads no longer resembled square Wither-skulls. Instead, they seemed like ugly, one-eyed snakes with jaws filled with marred, terrible teeth. Out of its bright, purple eyes came strange beams of light that quickly vacuumed the scurrying people into their three hungry maws.

Its new, deadly form allowed it to float seamlessly thought the sky and towards the crowd that Aiden, Maya and Gill were in, greedily following the larger, more appetizing group. Aiden whimpered, picking up his already high speed when he heard loud screaming and saw people behind him floating into the purple tractor-beams.

His eyes buzzed around his dwindling group like two worried wasps. Where were Maya and Gill? Didn't they get a head start? Or did they fall behind? Did they get sucked into that Storm?!

"Maya! Gill! Where are you?!" He screamed into the burning forest. His only answer was a roaring Witherstorm and screaming pedestrians on the run. Scowling as the heat burned into his eyes, he ran on, determination in his heart. 'They're not dead. They're not dead'. The words played over and over again in his head as if a light leading him to the goal.

Glancing up ahead, he saw a long, wide, fiery redwood tree laying on its side in front of a serene-looking clearing. He silently prayed he'd run into his friends there.

The Witherstorm's malevolent roar behind him made him flinch and glance around to see its long, blackish-purple tentacles stealing people away to its jaws, assisted by its deadly tractor beams. He couldn't tear his horrified stare away from its bulging, glowing, purple eyes, his stomach turning sick as he fought gruesome images of his friends' terrible, probable fate.

Aiden yelped when something struck his leg, but his cry was muffled and cut short when he faceplanted on the other side of what turned out to be the flaming log. He quickly tried to scramble to his feet, but something hard and heavy slammed onto his right shoulder like a sledgehammer, smashing his bones. He screamed in pain as waves of pain beat his entire body back and forth. Grasping his arm and hissing through his teeth, he arched his back and began to stagger to his feet, but another set of feet landed on his back, knocking the wind out of him and pounding him into the dirt. Dazedly, he realized how much danger his life was in. People were jumping over the log in their escape and landing on him, but they didn't notice him lying almost directly behind it.

Every time Aiden tried to get up, another set of feet slammed into his back and sharp nails dug into his clothes and neck as they clambered over him, too scared to stop and help someone in need. Each pounding left him weaker and more battered than before. After a few more tiresome tries, he feebly covered his head with his good arm, though the measly shield only covered the top of his head, much less his back and legs. When he least expected it, heavy, bulky feet slammed into his back, making him scream shortly as bones popped before a huge body landed on him, forcing his head into the ground and his mind into unconsciousness.

POV Switch

Maya's arms wrapped tightly around Gill's neck as she hung onto him for her life as he jogged through the blazing forest. As he dashed across the rugged trail, Maya's head knocked against his chest and she felt the terribly bumpy ride would give her a concussion.

She felt herself slipping through his grasp and she squeezed down on him, making him grunt as he fastened his grip on her body. The last thing any of them wanted was a tumble across the floor before getting flattened by half the city.

Minutes after his adjustment, he bounded over the fiery log, stumbling when his feet made contact with the ground. Gravity ripped her out of his arms and she almost hit the floor, but Gill was quick to catch her. She squirmed in his arms when he gripped her hurt leg too tightly, though she was grateful for his quick thinking and sure arms.

As they rushed into the calm, empty field and brought a chaotic hellstorm behind them, Gill heard Gabriel yell something to the runners, but he couldn't quite make out the words over the extreme pandemonium, ignoring it and focusing on his own instinct instead. His eyes darted around for a place to hide when he felt soreness in his back and legs. The adrenaline and strength he once had diminished and he knew he wouldn't be able to endure much more running.

"Gill, where are we going?" Maya yelled, her voice shaking with each bump.

"We're going to hide in the woods!" He yelled, changing his course and hoping the Witherstorm would stick to chasing the runners and not notice him or Maya. Wanting nothing but safety, Maya clung to his chest and hoped for the best.

When he started to make his getaway, the Witherstorm made like a dark, purple, looming cloud and rained on his formidable, bloodthirsty beast wouldn't let anyone escape, loosely snaring Gill by the leg and lifting him up. They both screamed when Gill felt himself being lifted off the ground. Gill quickly loosened his grip on Maya and she fell to the floor as he went higher up.

"Gill! Noo!" Maya screamed from the ground. Her legs trembled as she stood, watching horrifiedly as the monster prepared for its next snack.

"Maya! What are you doing?! Run! I've got this!" He shouted down to her, whipping out a stone axe. Before he could slice at the tentacle, he fell from the Witherstorm's loose grasp, screaming as he fell headlong the few blocks' distance to the floor. When he stood up to run, he felt a stinging pain in his leg that he didn't have time to tend to. Instead, he grabbed Maya again and ran for the woods, the Witherstorm screaming behind them, probably distracted by more goodies to eat.

Once in the woods, hidden away by tall trees, Gill gently set Maya down. Her eyes were fixed on the edge of the forest, even if it was shielded by the surrounding foliage. When they heard the Witherstorm screaming a way off, Gill turned to face Maya whose face was pale and sweaty, her mouth slightly open as she panted softly. Her teary eyes didn't move from their place as she remained deep in thought and terror.

"Gill, wh-what about A-Aiden?" She stammered, her shaky voice and troubling question piercing the new calm. Gill sent her a worried glance as he panted from exhaustion.

"We can't go out there, Maya. That… thing might get us." He said, doubling over as he tried to catch his breath. His breath hitched as if he remembered some important task when it was too late. "We're just gonna have to wait it out." He solemnly realized. Maya stayed quiet, her eyes moving for the first time to stare at the floor in disbelief.

'What happened?' She thought. They were all just so happy before, but suddenly her whole world was literally crashing all around her, leaving her a helpless, little girl, lost in the woods and hiding from a monster. What about getting home? Didn't Aiden just talk about that? If she ever regretted taking life for granted, it was now. All those cliche sayings rang in her head, making her want to travel back in time to warn herself to cherish the moments. They wouldn't be able to go home, or at least not together. Even if they found Aiden, she still didn't know where Lukas was, something that made the gloom settle deeper in her stomach.

What if he and Aiden were gone forever, stuck inside that horrible beast and forced to go through the burning, acidic pains of digestion? She'd never be able to apologize to Lukas or see his blonde hair again. She'd never build alongside him or Aiden ever again.

What if she and Gill were next on the menu?

Tears burned her eyes and she blinked them out, letting them slide down her cheeks as she quietly sniffled.

Gill heard her and walked to her side, gently sitting next to her. He softly wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her into his warm, comforting embrace, not sure how to speak to either of their fears.

He stifled a gasp when she suddenly buried her loud sobs in his chest, squeezing him tightly with her arms. After the initial shock left him, he hugged her back, resting his head on hers and letting his own tears slide down his face.

He felt like he was stuck in some strange, new form of nightmare. When that thought made him feel spacey and lightheaded, he wished his body would obey his feelings and fly away from it all. But no matter how badly he wanted to desert that world for another, even if through the sweet unconsciousness fainting would've brought, he knew that he was in no nightmare. This was reality. There was no escaping it.


Author's Note:

Phew! Finally the end! Man, oh man, I'm so sorry. This was supposed to come out on Friday (yesterday), but as usual I got caught up with fanart. If you want to see it, it's on my G+, but you should be aware that there's a stab wound with blood. Just wanted to state that for younger people. Anyways, I hope that you enjoyed this! Leave a review, and you know what to do, Crisper!

Crisper: ?

Me:... close it.

Crisper:... Oh! Durr! (closes it at long last)

PS: Here's the link to the fanart:

/plus.

google.

com/u/0/b/115421839618631646502/photos/photo/115421839618631646502/6333972124381005986?icm=false